Incident Overview
• On 15th June, a person-borne improvised explosive device (PBIED) targeted the General Dhagabadan Military Base of the Somali National Army (SNA) in Wadajir. Local reports confirmed that at least 15 individuals were killed and 22 others injured in the attack.
• Security forces announced the conclusion of an operation targeting a human trafficking syndicate in an unconfirmed location in Mogadishu on 13th June. Twenty-seven suspects were arrested during the operation.
• A small group of individuals held a peaceful protest calling for an investigation into reports of an alleged deployment of SNA soldiers in Northern Ethiopia at KM4 on 11th June. Temporary traffic disruptions were reported in the area as a result.
• A group of tuk-tuk drivers protested over poor road conditions and road closures enforced by local authorities near Daljirka Dahsoon on 15th June. No violence was reported, however, adjacent roads experienced increased traffic congestion as a result of the protest.
• Unverified reports stated that al Shabaab militants shot dead an SNA soldier in Seybiano, Hodan, and stole his firearm before escaping on 16th June.
Politics & Miscellany
As demonstrated by the two PBIED attacks recorded over the past two weeks, al Shabaab maintain the ability to conduct high-impact attacks on security forces targets. Similar attacks remain a possibility over the coming reporting period, with security forces installations as well as government offices likely to remain primary targets for such attacks. Although foreign entities remain a prime target, it is currently assessed that there is no specific threat against AAIA.
• Over the reporting period, 48 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were recorded in Somalia, with the total number of confirmed cases standing at 14,827 and 775 related deaths having been officially confirmed at the time of writing.
• A group of Members Parliament (MPs) and Senators, led by First Deputy Speaker of the Senate, Abshir Ahmad, met with parents of SNA soldiers deployed for training to Eritrea at the Jazeera Hotel on 14th June, in order to address their concerns over reports of combat deaths among the deployed contingent.
• On 16th June, the Foreign Ministers from Somalia and Kenya held an official phone conversation regarding the normalisation of bilateral relations between the two countries.
• James Swan, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to Somalia (SRSG), met with Hirshabelle State President Ali Abdullahi Hussein (“Gudlaawe”) in Mogadishu on 15th June and Galmudug State President Ahmed Abdi Karie (“Qoor Qoor”) in Dhuusamareeb on 16th June.
The full report can be viewed here.
